Sweden Orders $160m Saab Trackfire Weapon Stations to Boost Counter-UAS

Stockholm : Saab has received a new order valued at approximately $160 million (about SEK 1.4 billion) from Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for its Trackfire Remote Weapon Station (RWS) family, including the newly configured Trackfire ARES variant armed with a 30×113 mm M230LF Bushmaster chain gun. Deliveries are scheduled to run from 2026 through 2028, with first systems expected to enter service within 15 months of contract signature.

The procurement is intended to strengthen Swedish Army and Amphibious Battalion 2030 capabilities, a modernization effort focused on future amphibious forces operating in high-threat littoral environments. Saab said the order will enhance organic counter-UAS, self-defence, and networked fire-control capacity across multiple Swedish platforms as Stockholm continues to adapt its forces for NATO operations.

Replacing Donated Capability, Fielding Counter-UAS at Speed

FMV’s parallel announcement underscores the operational urgency behind the purchase. Sweden is replacing weapon stations and related systems previously donated to Ukraine, while simultaneously expanding self-protection across several platform types and accelerating counter-drone fielding. According to FMV, the contract covers weapon stations with integrated sensors and effectors designed for qualified self-defence against sea, land, and air targets, including both manned and unmanned threats. The package also includes standalone operator training systems, integration support, and continued product development, ensuring rapid induction and sustained evolution.

Trackfire: Stabilisation and Fire Control for Real-World Motion

At the core of the order is Saab’s Trackfire architecture, a stabilised, network-capable fire-control and sensor suite engineered to maintain precision while host platforms are manoeuvring over rough ground or heavy seas. The design centres on Stabilised Independent Line of Sight (SILOS), in which the sensor module is decoupled from weapon axes and recoil. This allows operators to hold the sight on target, lase continuously throughout the engagement, and feed a fire-control solution that incorporates 3D target prediction—a decisive advantage against small drones, fast inshore craft, and fleeting shoreline targets.

Trackfire ARES and the 30 mm Counter-Drone Focus

The Trackfire ARES configuration ordered by Sweden is tailored specifically for the counter-UAS problem set. It integrates the M230LF link-fed 30×113 mm chain gun, selected for its balance of rate of fire, hit probability, and ammunition effectiveness rather than sheer calibre. Saab states that ARES employs proximity-fuzed ammunition to neutralise drones, aiming to reduce rounds per kill while preserving lethality.

The M230LF family—manufactured by Northrop Grumman—fires advanced 30×113 mm ammunition, including proximity rounds, and underpins several short-range air defence and counter-UAS applications. Open technical data cite a rate of fire of about 200 rounds per minute and a counter-UAS engagement envelope out to roughly 2,000 metres, providing commanders valuable standoff beyond typical 7.62 mm solutions and enabling engagement before small UAS can close to grenade-drop or ISR handoff distance.

Sensors, Coverage, and Littoral Suitability

Saab’s published specifications highlight why Trackfire ARES fits Sweden’s mixed land-littoral defence needs. The sensor suite includes a cooled medium-wave thermal imager (3.6–4.2 μm), a high-zoom day camera, and an eye-safe 1.55 μm laser rangefinder with a pulse repetition frequency above 20 Hz. Saab lists target-range performance beyond 6 km against a NATO-standard 2.3 × 2.3 m target, with meter-class ranging accuracy.

Mechanically, the director unit provides continuous 360-degree rotation and −20° to +55° elevation, with slew rates up to 120°/s and high acceleration—critical when a drone crests a treeline or a fast boat breaks cover among islands. The director unit is quoted at around 280 kg (excluding weapon and ammunition), an important constraint for small amphibious craft, where top-weight and centre-of-gravity margins directly affect speed and seakeeping.

NATO Interoperability and the Amphibious 2030 Vision

Beyond immediate replacement and counter-UAS needs, the order reflects Sweden’s broader shift toward NATO interoperability. Network-capable RWS with modern sensors, stabilisation, and digital fire control are central to distributed operations in the Baltic and archipelagic environments Sweden prioritises. By pairing Trackfire’s stabilised sighting and predictive fire control with a 30 mm proximity-fused effector, the Swedish Armed Forces gain a scalable self-defence layer suitable for both land vehicles and amphibious platforms.

With deliveries stretching into 2028, Saab’s $160 million Trackfire award positions the company as a key enabler of Sweden’s near-term readiness and longer-term Amphibious Battalion 2030 ambitions—addressing today’s drone threat while building a foundation for NATO-aligned operations in some of Europe’s most demanding littoral battlespaces.